Mama does not dress her funny

"I am not sure that Haley should dress herself," her Big Sis said.

She has a point.

I have made it my mission for Haley to look good since she was very small.  Of course, how a baby dresses is entirely up to it's parents.  Then when they are toddling around they are still very much looking the way that their parents want, mainly because they are still buying their clothes.  At a certain age kids learn to dress themselves and they also learn the combinations that they like.  That is a fun stage. 

I have seen a little girl wearing a cowboy hat, striped tights, rain boots and a tutu.

Not Haley though.  I have dressed her for most of her life.  Literally. 

She has only recently learned to dress herself and she still has some issues with it.  I made an effort last year to purchase only elastic waist pants for her so that it would be easier. 

She is very interested in fashion and she is a bit of a clothes horse. 

She has an advantage too.  She has gotten hand-me-downs from her Big Sis all her life and Big Sis has pretty good taste.  I have had to nix a few things before they made it from her room in to Haley's room though.  Namely things that didn't really fit, things that bordered on inappropriate for her - age wise, and things that just didn't seem like Haley.

Haley started picking out her own clothes many years ago.  I would open the "top" drawer of her dresser and ask her to pick a top or I would ask her if she wanted to wear pants or shorts.  After those decisions were made I would finish putting an outfit together.  I would make sure it matched.

I decided a long time ago that Haley would always look good.

My child would not have; a snotty nose, dirty clothes, disheveled hair, food on her face, messy glasses or clothes that don't fit.  She is at a disadvantage in life already.  I was not about to handicap her any further by allowing her to look like she was not cared for.  I wanted her to look good.  To look loved.

I am sure you have seen kids that don't look loved.  They walk around looking like no one cares what they look like.  That was not the way my child would look.  I care.

Haley doesn't.

If an outfit came to her as an outfit she will keep it that way, but if clothes come to her as separates that is how she treats them.  She is usually kind of picky about the top.  Then she opens her "bottoms" drawer and pulls something out.  It might not match.  It might not go.  It might really clash.

Sometimes I let her wear it - on the weekend - or - in the summer - if we are not going anywhere.  A lot of times bottoms don't make it the whole day anyway. 

If we are going somewhere I gently suggest a different choice.  I don't make a big deal out of it.

Today Haley was standing at her bedroom door when I came out of my bedroom.  I asked her if she was going to get dressed.  She said "Yeah."  I told her I would help her with her bra and then she could get dressed.  I did that and then I went back in to my bedroom.  A little while later I walked in to her room and she was on her knees with her face on her bed.  She heard me come in and looked up at me.  She seemed a little upset. 

"Do you need help with your shorts?" I said. 

"Yeah."

They had a zipper and a button that needed to be done up.  I did that and then I looked over at her bed.  A shirt was on the bed that did not go with the shorts.  It was another pattern and another color. 

I said "Haley, you have a nice blue shirt that looks really good with those shorts, lets get that one for you." 

She let me.  She doesn't care.  I do.